Xinjiang camps will ‘gradually’ disappear: China

Chinese official yesterday rejected international criticism of internment camps in the restive Xinjiang region, calling them job training centres that will "gradually disappear" if "one day society no longer needs it".

Nearly one million Uighurs and other mostly Muslim Turkic minorities are being held in detention centres in Xinjiang, according to estimates cited by a UN panel.

A US official described the situation in Xinjiang as "horrific". But Beijing has denied the accusations, saying people are attending "vocational education centres" to rid them of any extremist thoughts in a region that was hit by deadly riots and attacks in recent years.

"Our education and training centres have been set up according to our needs. The students that come in to learn, it's a dynamic number that changes," Shohrat Zakir, the chairman of Xinjiang's government, told journalists on the sidelines of China's annual parliamentary meeting.

"As a whole, the number of people in the education centres should be less and less, and if one day society no longer needs it, these education centres can gradually disappear," he said, without providing the number of people at the facilities.

Former inmates have said they found themselves incarcerated for transgressions such as wearing long beards and face veils or sharing Islamic holiday greetings on social media.

Critics allege Uighurs in the camps are being brainwashed in a massive campaign to enforce conformity with Chinese society and the abandonment of Islam.

Shohrat also hit out at "certain individuals", whom he says "sensationalised" the number of people in these centres.

"It's not like that," he said, calling on reporters to visit Xinjiang.

Journalists are harassed and surveilled by local authorities when reporting in the western Chinese region.

 

Xinjiang camps will gradually disappear: China

Chinese official yesterday rejected international criticism of internment camps in the restive Xinjiang region, calling them job training centres that will gradually disappear if one day society no longer needs it. Nearly one million Uighurs and other mostly Muslim Turkic minorities are being held in detention centres in Xinjiang, according to estimates cited by a UN panel. A US official described the situation in Xinjiang as horrific. But Beijing has denied the accusations, saying people are attending vocational education centres to rid them of any extremist thoughts in a region that was hit by deadly riots and attacks in recent years. Our education and training centres have been set up according to our needs. The students that come in to learn, its a dynamic number that changes, Shohrat Zakir, the chairman of Xinjiangs government, told journalists on the sidelines of Chinas annual parliamentary meeting. As a whole, the number of people in the education centres should be less and less, and if one day society no longer needs it, these education centres can gradually disappear, he said, without providing the number of people at the facilities. Former inmates have said they found themselves incarcerated for transgressions such as wearing long beards and face veils or sharing Islamic holiday greetings on social media. Critics allege Uighurs in the camps are being brainwashed in a massive campaign to enforce conformity with Chinese society and the abandonment of Islam. Shohrat also hit out at certain individuals, whom he says sensationalised the number of people in these centres. Its not like that, he said, calling on reporters to visit Xinjiang. Journalists are harassed and surveilled by local authorities when reporting in the western Chinese region.